TFL have once again worked with Italian designers Sergio Belloni and Carmen Rimoldi to create their colour forecast for spring/summer 2009.

Stahl says, ‘Have fun!' and don't take fashion too seriously while playing with colours and material contrasts. The meanings of ‘Techno' and ‘Futuristic' have changed, giving a new approach to nature and the environment. Techno takes over a new raw vegetal look. ‘Futuristic' takes lightness and softness to a much higher level.

As the world is looking to China to improve its environmental impact, a 100% German owned tannery in Guangzhou, China, has taken up the challenge. ISA Tan Tec have developed the LITE Leather branded product line to help ‘the world environment while producing high performance leather products with Low Impact To the Environment'

Last month I gave you a condensed report of some points that had been on the table in Gramado, Brazil at the Unido Leather and Leather Products Industrial Panel. This month I promised we'd take a look at what has been proposed for a number of countries in Africa aiming to end all the misery on which so many papers have reported over the last decades.

During the recent ACLE in Shanghai, an afternoon seminar on Environment Friendly Supplies was put on by ASSINTECAL, the Brazilian association for companies of components for leather, footwear and related goods, in partnership with the CLIA.

According to a recent edition of the journal Chemistry & Industry, scientists at the CLRI in India report that they have developed a new tanning technology that makes the process substantially more eco-friendly. Tanning as we know can produce high levels of water pollution.

During the recent ACLE, the China Leather Industry Association co-organised a seminar with the Brazil leather, shoes and leather product and component association (ASSINTECAL) on the topic of environmental protection.

According to Industry sources, the European Union, USA, Japan and other countries have again asked both the government of Pakistan and industrialists to adopt urgent measures for setting up effluent treatment plants to cover all the five industrial areas of Karachi. At the same time, they warned that failure to do so could find non-compliant factories losing export orders.

Work on alternatives to sulfide dehairing through the use of oxidative agents was presented at the XXIX congress of the IULTCS/103rd annual meeting of ALCA in Washington DC earlier this year. The authors are William N Marmer and Robert L Dudley of the Eastern Regional Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Service. This is an abridged version and the copyright of the full paper rests with ALCA.

White shoes gain a pinkish hue before they have been worn. Leather brief cases can become sticky during storage. The phenomena of migration and bleeding are the enemies of the shoe and leathergoods industries. This article explores this issue and identifies methods of prevention. Tanners and suppliers should be equally interested because the solution to this problem lies in their hands

There were an estimated 21.3 million head of cattle on farms in Russia as of the start of this year, 0.7% fewer than at the start of 2007, according to the Interfax news agency. The mortality rate of cattle in 2007 was higher than in 2006, said the report.

Slovenia's Statistics Office reports that the total turnover of leather industry companies in Slovenia in 2007 was 13.2% lower than in 2006. Turnover on the domestic Slovenian market was 26.7% lower with turnover from export sales 9.3% lower year-on-year.

Ukraine's State Statistics Committee reports that 61.7% of all companies in the Ukrainian leather industry recorded gross profits in 2007, according to the Interfax news agency.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's Federal Office of Statistics reports that the production of leather and leather products in Bosnia and Herzegovina in January was 54.2% higher than in December and 18.8% higher than in January 2007. In comparison, industrial output in Bosnia and Herzegovina in January was 7.3% lower month-on-month and 7.8% higher year-on-year.

Slovenia's Statistics Office reports that a total of 128,087 cattle of a total of 36,203 tonnes dressed carcass weight were slaughtered in slaughterhouses in Slovenia in 2007,respectively 6.4% fewer and 4.5% lower than in 2006.

Vietnamese government sources reported in mid-February that more than 30,000 cattle had died in the northern mountain provinces of Ha Giang, Bac Can, Yen Bai, Thanh Hoa and Lang Son as a result of cold weather, according to the Vietnamese News Agency.

In a meeting chaired by Minister of State and chief executiveof the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, Tariq Ikram, it was decided to reschedule the EXPO Pakistan to October, 2008. Expo will now be held from October 27-30, 2008, at Karachi Expo Centre.

For BASF, 2007 was another record year. Thanks to organic growth and the very positive development of the acquired businesses, BASF posted sales of almost €58 billion and income from operations (EBIT) before special items of more than €7.6 billion in 2007. ‘This is a great achievement', said Dr Jürgen Hambrecht, chairman of the board of executive directors of BASF SE. ‘Our employees can be particularly proud of this great achievement because the economic challenges have increased in recent months.' Hambrecht nevertheless remains confident with regard to the development of BASF's business in 2008.

Czech footwear manufacturers produced 5.5 million pairs of footwear in 2007, up by nearly 6% year-on-year. They generated sales worth over Kc2.3 billion, similar to 2005 sales, Vlasta Mayerova of the Czech Footwear and Leather Producers Association(COKA) told the Czech News Agency (CTK).

A new booklet from Stahl presents the Leather and Technology Forecast for Spring and Summer 2009. Colourful as always, the booklet includes a selection of large leather samples combined with evocative illustrations from times past and present.

BASF are raising prices for leather chemicals worldwide. These increases are necessary because of higher energy costs and high raw material costs, which are still rising.

Hungary's Central Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Hungary in 2007 was 52.2% higher than in 2006. Leather and leather products manufacturers' sales in 2007 were 50% higher year-on-year, with a decrease in sales of 4.5% on the domestic Hungarian market and 62.3% higher sales on export markets.

Azerbaijan's State Statistics Committee reports that livestock production in Azerbaijan in 2007 was 6.1% per cent higher than in the previous year, according to the Interfax news agency. There were 2.5 million head of cattle in Azerbaijan as of the start of this year.

Vietnam's Finance Ministry is proposing a reduction in the rate of corporate tax from 28% to 25% per cent from January 1, 2009, according to the Vietnamese News Agency.

Germany's Federal Statistics Office reports that 7.3 million tonnes of meat was produced from livestock slaughtered at commercial slaughterhouses in Germany in 2007. A total of 53 million pigs, 3.3 million cattle (excluding calves), 305,000 calves and 1.1 million sheep were slaughtered at commercial slaughterhouses in Germany last year.

Turkey's State Statistics Institute reports that average monthly production of leather and leather products in Turkey in 2007 was 0.7% lower than in 2006. In comparison, average monthly industrial output in Turkey in 2007 was 5.4% higher year-on-year.

Lebanon's Central Administration of Statistics reports that Lebanon exported raw hides and skins, and leather, worth US$7.47 million in 2007. Lebanese imports of the same types of commodities in 2007 were worth US$28.3 million.

Latvia's Central Statistical Bureau reports that Latvia exported raw hides and skins, and leather, worth US$3.46 million in December, of which 91.7% were exported to the European Union. Latvia imported the same types of commodities worth US$3.50 million in December, of which 82.5% came from the EU.

Ireland's Central Statistics Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Ireland in December 2007 was a substantial 38% higher than in the same month in 2006. The turnover of leather industry companies in Ireland in December 2007 was 13% higher year-on-year.

Ukraine's State Statistics Committee reports that the production of leather and leather products in Ukraine in January was 18.1% lower than in December and 30.5% higher than in January 2007. In comparison, industrial output in Ukraine in January was 12.4% lower month-on-month and 5.7% higher year-on-year. 

Slovakia's Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Slovakia continued to decline in 2007. Production was 3.2% lower than in 2006. In comparison, industrial output in Slovakia was 13% higher year-on-year.

Speciality chemicals group LANXESS AG have opened a new distribution company in Bratislava, Slovakia, for central and eastern Europe. Since February 15, they have been controlling all of their business activities in Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary via LANXESS Central Eastern Europe sro, based in the Slovakian capital Bratislava. The company will also maintain offices in Warsaw, Poland, and Budapest, Hungary.

Russia has authorised imports of beef from five more US processors. The plants owned by JBS-Swift & Co (Cactus, Texas, and Hyrum, Utah), Tyson Fresh Meats (Dakota City, Neb), and National Beef Packing Co (Dodge City, Kan, and Brawley, Calif).

In response to discussions with the Humane Society of the United States, Safeway have announced new policies to work with pork and poultry suppliers that prioritise animal welfare. Meatingplace.com say that the US retailer has begun an initiative to increase the amount of pork purchased from North American suppliers that are phasing out gestation crates to confine sows.

BASF say they are the world's first company to present a comprehensive carbon balance for their operations. The results show that BASF products can save three times more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire amount caused by the production and disposal of the company's products. ‘Climate change is one of the main challenges faced by society', said Eggert Voscherau, vice chairman of BASF SE. ‘We are facing up to this challenge and offering a wide range of solutions that help to protect the climate.'

Statistics Georgia reports that Georgia's leather and leather products' industry recorded a total turnover worth US$2.46 million in the first nine months of 2007. In 2006, the industry recorded a total turnover of US$3.41 million.

Statistics South Africa reports that the South African leather industry operated at 76.9% of its total capacity in 2007, compared with 79.3% in 2006. In comparison, South Africa's manufacturing sector operated at 86.1% capacity last year.

Slovenia's Statistics Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Slovenia in 2007 was 22.3% lower than in 2006. In comparison, industrial output in Slovenia in 2007 was 7% higher year-on-year. 

Croatia's Central Bureau of Statistics reports that the number of employees in Croatia's leather industry in December 2007 was 1% lower than in November and 0.5% lower than in December 2006. 

Spain's National Statistics Institute reports that the production of leather and leather products in Spain in December 2007 was 13.1% lower than in the same month the previous year.

Spain's National Statistics Institute reports that the production of leather and leather products in Spain in December 2007 was 13.1% lower than in the same month the previous year.

Poland's Central Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Poland in the first nine months of 2007 was 8.8% higher in value terms than in the same period in 2006. In comparison, overall industrial output in Poland was 26.3% higher year-on-year.

Latvia's Central Statistical Bureau reports that the production of leather and leather products in Latvia in 2007 was 19.3% lower than in 2006. In comparison, industrial output in Latvia in 2007 was 0.5% higher year-on-year.

Hungary's Central Statistical Office reports that Hungary imported leather and leather products worth E261 million in the first eleven months of 2007, a year-on-year increase of 9.2%. Hungary exported the same types of commodities worth E129 million in the same period, a year-on-year increase of 2.9%.

Montenegro's Statistics Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Montenegro in 2007 was 63.3% higher than in 2006. In comparison, the annual increase in industrial output in Montenegro in 2007 was 0.1%.

Iran exported 1.3 million head of livestock in the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 21 - December 20, 2007), according to the IRNA news agency.

Hungary's Central Statistical Office reports that there were 705,000 head of cattle on farms in Hungary on December 1, 2007, compared with 710,000 on April 1, 2007, and 702,000 on December 1, 2006.

Ireland's Central Statistics Office reports that the number of cattle slaughtered in Ireland in 2007 was 0.1% lower than in the previous year. The number of sheep slaughtered was 6.3% lower year-on-year.

Sales of livestock and poultry for slaughter in Belarus totalled 1.17 million tonnes liveweight in 2007, an increase of 4.5% compared with the previous year, according to the Interfax news agency.

Croatia's Central Bureau of Statistics reports that Croatia exported leather and leather products worth US$335 million in 2007, a year-on-year increase of 8.6%. Croatian imports of the same types of commodities in 2007 were 14.7% higher year-on-year at US$424 million.

Turkey's State Statistics Institute reports that Turkey exported raw hides and skins, and leather, worth US$120 million in 2007, compared with US$103 million in 2006.

Israel's Central Statistics Bureau reports that Israel imported leather and leather products worth US$125 million in 2007, compared with US$97 million in 2006. Israeli exports of the same types of commodities in 2007 were worth US$19.1 million, as against US$18.6 million in 2006.

Macedonia's State Statistical Office has reported that the number of people employed in the leather industry in Macedonia in 2007 was 0.5% lower than in 2006. In comparison, the number of employees in Macedonia's manufacturing sector in 2007 was 0.2% lower year-on-year.

China's Ministry of Agriculture reported in late January that heavy snow in central, eastern and southern China had resulted in heavy losses in the livestock sector, according to the Interfax news agency. Losses of up to 30% were recorded in some regions. First estimates of total losses in the agricultural sector were put at more than US$625 million.

As the trade went into the Christmas and Chinese New Year holidays, there was no good news to report. There is always business in Italy somewhere but today little of it is profitable. This counts especially for furniture upholstery which it seems can only be produced and sold at a loss.

Trying to come up with a final conclusion over the Lineapelle fair in Bologna is a hard job to do. From the commercial side nothing changed and nothing came up that we did not know already. There is work for the leather industry but it is very difficult for tanners to do so profitably.

Having discontinued cattle slaughter at their Emporia processing facility in Kansas, Tyson Foods say they are increasingly accepting of the realities of what has become a bleak beef market. The company's chief executive officer, Dick Bond, told Meatingplace.com that Tyson's move reflects what he believes is a permanent change to the industry's landscape.

Russia's Federal Veterinarian and Phytosanitary Control Service (Rosselkhoznadzor) sent back more than 40 tonnes of imported Danish-made pig skins which arrived from Germany in late January, according to the Interfax news agency. Inspectors discovered that the pig skin, seized by the Rosselkhoznadzor office in the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad, had been produced at a facility in Denmark that is not allowed to export products to Russia.

Competition from the United States in Japan and South Korea will help force beef exports from Australia to drop by about 5.5% this year. According to Meatingplace.com, total shipments of beef and veal are projected to fall to 890,000 metric tons, compared with last year's 941,000 tons and a record 953,900 tons in 2006, citing Meat & Livestock Australia's latest cattle and sheep industry projections report.

Statistics Ukraine reports that the production of leather and leather products in Ukraine in 2007 was 2.7% higher than in 2006. In comparison, industrial output in Ukraine last year was 10.2% higher year-on-year.

Albania's National Statistics Institute reports that Albania imported leather and leather products worth US$94 million in 2007, compared with imports worth US$79 million in 2006. Albanian exports of the same types of commodities in 2007 were worth US$25 million, as against US$18 million in 2006.

Serbia's Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in Serbia in 2007 was 2.2% lower than in 2006. In comparison, Serbian industrial output in 2007 was 3.7% higher year-on-year.

Statistics Georgia reports that Georgia exported raw hides and skins worth US$3.26 million in 2007, with imports of the same type of commodities worth US$1.37 million.

Statistics Norway reports that there were 906,247 cattle on farms in Norway in 2007, compared with 922,976 in 2006 and 1.03 million back in 1999. The average number of cattle per agricultural holding last year was 46, compared with 44.5 in 2006.

Macedonia's State Statistical Office has reported that the production of leather and leather products in Macedonia in 2007 was 0.5% higher than in 2006. In comparison, manufacturing output in Macedonia in 2007 was 5.% higher year-on-year.

The Czech Statistical Office reports that the Czech Republic recorded a surplus of 36,215 tonnes in its international trade in live cattle from December 1, 2006, to November 30, 2007.

Iranian companies displayed leather, leather products and other goods at an exhibition of Iranian products in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo in late January, according to the IRNA news agency.

Russian leather industry companies had accounts payables worth a total of US$417 million as of October 1, 2007, according to the Interfax news agency. Accounts receivables of leather industry companies as of the same date were worth US$348 million.

Statistics Estonia reports that there were an estimated 242,000 cattle on farms in Estonia on December 31, 2007, compared with 244,800 on the same date in 2006.